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Thomas Burch

Summary of Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

By:
FlashBooks Book Summaries

Narrated by:
Dean Bokhari

Length: 43 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
69

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
56

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
56

This is a book summary of
Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb and not the original book.
Antifragile is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb's landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision making in a world we don't understand. The other books in the series are
Fooled by Randomness,
The Black Swan, and
The Bed of Procrustes.

great summary of a great book!

Great synopsis without the snarky commentary

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-01-18

What made the experience of listening to Summary of Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb the most enjoyable?

I really enjoy the content and information present in Taleb's books but he seems to be a little mean spirited, and he seems to go on and on about how stupid, inadequate and wrong many people are. I know he is probably right, but I don't want to listen to all that negativity. I really want to try to focus on things I can control and on personal improvement. This quick synopsis provides the important info without the negative message. The man is a genius, and I actually think he is funny, but lets keep it positive and succinct.

What did you like best about this story?

great examples, great info. Important ideas and concepts.

Which character – as performed by Dean Bokhari – was your favorite?

NA

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

the whole concept of anti fragility is really cool. I like the hydra discussion. It is like the immune system, that which does not kill you really can make you stronger!

Any additional comments?

Good listen

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Escape Clause

A Virgil Flowers Novel, Book 9

By:
John Sandford

Narrated by:
Eric Conger

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,444

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,130

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,127

The first storm comes from, of all places, the Minnesota zoo. Two large and very rare Amur tigers have vanished from their cage, and authorities are worried sick that they've been stolen for their body parts. Traditional Chinese medicine prizes those parts for home remedies, and people will do extreme things to get what they need. Some of them are a great deal more extreme than others - as Virgil is about to find out.

very fun

Well, No probably would not listen again, because I know what happens.

BUT, is that the right question here? I mean, I got a ton of enjoyment the first time around and if there was another Virgil book out there I would listen to it immediately and that is a better question.

This book gets 5 stars, but it is a crime novel and once you know the ending it would be OK the second time around but not the same.....not the right question for this book.

Some better questions are:Are you glad you listened to it?

Answer: Absolutely! Great stuff! 5 stars!

Why are you glad you listened to it?

Answer: I really like this guy. I can relate to him better than many other characters in other books and I enjoy the fact that he is very human. Not perfect, not infallible, he is a normal dude, who is a good guy, a thoughtful cop and honestly just like a lot of kids I grew up with. He is almost impossible not to like.

Virgil is the kinda guy you want to get a beer with, or throw a football with or go fishing with.

The narration is great, the characters are great, the story is great, and it is the perfect distraction from whatever bs is getting you down in life. Your gonna laugh, your gonna say....yep....I know people like that, or I grew up with folks like that.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yep, I thought someone was toast.....won't give it away, but after you finish you will figure it out.

What about Eric Conger’s performance did you like?

He does the characters perfect. He has this down. He deserves a raise.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes

Any additional comments?

Just buy it. worth it. return it if you don't like it, but you will like it

An Interview with Frederick Forsyth (Unabridged)

By:
Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by:
David Freeman

Length: 6 mins

Original Recording

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
126

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
46

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
44

An interview with Frederick Forsyth, author of The Afghan. Forsyth is well-known for his thrilling novels, including The Day of the Jackal, The Dogs of War, The Odessa File, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, and Avenger.

great wish it were longer

great interview, just wish it were longer. good content, great questions, love this guy. best

Money Management Skills

By:
Michael Finke,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Michael Finke

Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,477

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,170

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,127

The goal of money management is to maximize our happiness at every stage of our lives. Whether you are a novice investor or a seasoned pro, starting your first job or contemplating retirement, these 24 straightforward lectures are an excellent primer for making successful financial decisions at every stage of your life. Professor Finke takes you on a tour of some of the most widely available financial products and tools, from mutual funds to life insurance to college savings accounts.

Completely Irresponsible Advice

bad advice right at the start

Overall

2 out of 5 stars

Performance

2 out of 5 stars

Story

2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 10-12-15

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I firmly disagree with the author. I have read dozens of books on personal finance and I am concerned that he (and our federal government) are a little too fond of debt. At the beginning he describes/discusses debt and seems to imply that it is a good idea for young people to borrow money to improve their lifestyle and to pay for things they cannot afford. Well, I personally made that mistake and I would do it differently if could go back in time. Debt is dangerous. People get in over their head and often become a slave to the debt. I was lucky enough to pay off all my loans (using hard work and frugal living) but I would caution young students: Borrow as little as you possibly can. Debt is NOT your friend.

Has Money Management Skills turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Professor Michael Finke?

Narration is fine, content is questionable

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

disappointment

Any additional comments?

Debt is not your friend. I went to medical school and became a doc and had tons of debt. I "made it" but I have friends who borrowed tons of money and then did not "make it" they were not cut out to be docs and now they are ruined because they have piles of loans. Loans are not without risk. Borrow as little as you can. Pay cash if at all possible. The borrower is slave to the lender. Be careful.

40 of 49 people found this review helpful

The Shepherd

By:
Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by:
James Konicek

Length: 1 hr and 12 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
124

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
115

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
113

It is Christmas Eve, 1957. Flying home, on leave from Germany, he is alone in the cockpit of the Vampire. Sixty-six minutes of flying time, with the descent and landing - destination Lakenheath. No problem, all routine procedures.Then, out over the North Sea, the fog begins to close in. Radio contact ceases and the compass goes haywire. Suddenly, out of the mist, appears a WorldWar II bomber. It is flying just below the Vampire, as if trying to make contact.

Wonderful, i loved it! Outstanding!

One of his best! He really knows how to tell a great story. Love It! His characters & suspense followed by a great ending never fail to enthrall the reader!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

The Fourth Protocol

By:
Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by:
David Rintoul

Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
419

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
343

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
342

Plan Aurora, hatched in a remote dacha in the forest outside Moscow and initiated with relentless brilliance and skill, is a plan within a plan that, in its spine-chilling ingenuity, breaches the ultra-secret Fourth Protocol and turns the fears that shaped it into a living nightmare. A crack Soviet agent, placed under cover in a quiet English country town, begins to assemble a jigsaw of devastation.

5 out of 5 stars

As usual, Forsyth is Fantastic

As usual, Forsyth is Fantastic

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-27-11

Forsyth builds his story piece by piece gradually getting more and more interesting as the reader continues to become enthralled with the characters and the plot. The reader gradually discover what the diabolical plan is and then after you figure it out, you have no idea how they are going to stop it. Then, when you think you have it all sorted out, he throws you a little twist at the very end, which compliments his characters and leaves you with a clever smile on your face. I loved it, but I love almost all he does. Good stuff.

12 of 12 people found this review helpful

No Comebacks

By:
Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by:
Nigel Davenport

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
55

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
6

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
6

Deception, blackmail, murder, revenge: these are the themes of stories that move from London to the coast of Spain, from Mauritius to Dublin. Whether his subject is assassination by stealth or the cruel confidence trick, Forsyth is never less than compulsive. Whether he is telling of gun-smuggling across the Irish border or wrestling a giant game-fish to death in a tropical sea, he fills in the last authentic and evocative detail.

4 out of 5 stars

Short stories from the Master

Forsyth at his best

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-21-11

No combacks is another great Forsyth novel. The surprise ending and quick commentary are wonderful. I found Forsyth by accident, and I have been so pleased that I look forward to the release of every book. He always seems to do his homework and develop wonderful characters and those characters rarely disappoint. He seems to know how to leave me saying: "wow that was good, sorry I'm finished with it". Good stuff.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Cobra

By:
Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by:
Jonathan Davis

Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
618

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
271

Story

4 out of 5 stars
270

What if you had carte blanche to fight evil? Nothing held back, nothing off the table. What would you do? For decades, the world has been fighting the drug cartels, and losing, their billions of dollars making them the most powerful and destructive organizations on earth. Until one man is asked to take charge. Paul Devereaux used to run Special Operations for the CIA before they retired him for being too ruthless. Now he can have anything he requires, do anything he thinks necessary. No boundaries, no rules, no questions asked.

4 out of 5 stars

Another Good Read by Forsyth

OK, but not as good as his other books

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 08-23-10

It was good, but the ending was a little less impressive. As usual, Forsyth does a great job developing his characters and building a story, but I thought the ending was a little flat compared to his other works.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

The Afghan

By:
Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by:
Robert Powell

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
712

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
239

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
240

When British and American intelligence catch wind of a major Al Qaeda operation in the works, they instantly galvanize, but to do what? They know nothing about it: the what, where, or when. They have no sources in Al Qaeda, and it's impossible to plant someone. Or is it?

Somewhere In Between

outstanding

Wow, this guy is the best. He does his homework, his characters are well developed, and his stories are outstanding. I read/listen to everything he does and they are all fantastic.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

The Odessa File

By:
Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by:
Frederick Davidson

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
829

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
539

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
537

Frederick Forsyth's spellbinding novels are the natural outgrowth of an adventuresome career in international investigative journalism. Written in Austria and Germany during the fall of 1971,
The Odessa File is based on its author's life experiences as a Reuters man reporting from London, Paris, and East Berlin in the early 1960s.

5 out of 5 stars

Classic SS Thriller of (fictionalized) History

Forsyth at his best

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 08-01-10

Outstanding story. Fredrick Forsyth always does his homework. His character development is amazing and his story always leaves you spell bound. There is often a twist at the end of his stories and every detail is wonderful. I loved this story, and I recommend all his stuff.